Velocipede



(No Model.)

T. B. JEFPERY. vBLoe-IPBDE,

No. 411,035. Patented Sept. 1'7, 1889.

frz/weefy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS B. JEFFERY, OF RAVENSVVOOD, ILLINOIS.

VELOCIPEDE.

` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,035, dated September 17, 1889.

Application filed October 15, 1888. Serial No. 288,096. (No model.) 0

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, THOMAS B. J EEEERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ravenswood, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, which are fully set forth in the following sp'eciiication, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a detail sectional side elevation showing the frame-work of my improved velocipede, section being made in the vertical plane of the steeringhead axis at the upper and lower bearings of the steering-head and at the junction of the two arms of the frame. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 an axial section, of the upper steering-head bearing of a slightly modified form from that shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail of the seat supporting spring and bracket on a larger scale than Fig. l. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspectives of alternative forms of junction of two branches of the seatsupporting frame. Fig. 7 is a section at the line 7 7 on Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the sleeve which constitutes the adj ustable bearing of the steering-head.

1 A is the rear driving-wheel frame or fork.

B represents the outline of the rear drivingwheel.

. C is the pedal-crank shaft.

, D is a two-part box secured to the seat-suph porting frame and constituting the means of pivoting said frame to the rear driving-wheel frame or fork. The seat-supporting frame and steering-head are formed as a single rigid frame, comprising the parts D', D2, and D3, the last being the steering-head proper, all of said parts being tubular. The part D eX- tends from the pivot above the pedal-crank shaft upwardly and with a slightly rearward inclination, and at its upper end has the seatsupport inserted in it. At the lower part the boss D curves forward, so that it terminates at the lower end approximately horizontally, and to said lower end there is secured the arm D2, which extends almost straight upwardly and forwardly to its junction with the lower part of the steering-head B2. Both the junctions of the part D2 with the adjacent parts D and D3 may be made in either of the ways shown in Figs. 5 and G-that is, either of the two joined parts may terminate in diverging lugs d, which clasp and are brazed to the other part, the end of the part having the lugs abutting against the side of the clasped part. Theadvantage of this construction is that a shorter turn can be made than would be possible by bending the tubular arms without danger of weakening or cracking them, and that a neater and lighter junction is effected than could be made by a separate junction piece secured to each, and that neither part is weakened, as would be the effect of screw or rivet holes.

E is the steering-wheel fork. To its upper end there is secured the cup-shaped iitting E', which forms one part of the steering-head lower bearing, and a similar iitting E10, adapted to have its end inserted within the steering-head, is secured to the upper end of the steering-head. To the lower end of the steering-head there is secured the itting E2, which has the flange e2 iitting outside of the upper edge of the fitting E', while the boss or main body portion of said tting E2 enters within the cup of the tting E, whereby the two parts E and E2 are accurately retained in relation to each other. The lower face or end of the part E2 has an annular groove to vreceive the anti-friction balls E2, which bear in said groove and on the concave upper surface of the cup-shaped fitting E. The fitting E2 has an upwardly-projecting annular flange 620, which fit-s within the lower end of the steering-head, and by means of which said steering-head and fitting are rigidly secured together.

E4 is the steering rod or spindle, which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the fork E and to the fitting E', and which passes through the central opening in the fitting E2, and thence up to the steering head, and through the fitting E10, above which it protrudes as the upper end of the steering-head.

To said spindle kthere is made fast, i-n the manner hereinafter described, the sleeve E E20, which corresponds to the fitting E2 at the lower end of the steering-head, having on its under face an annular groove for anti-friction balls E20, which bear also upon the upper concave face of the fitting E10. The sleeve E20 is IOO secured to the spindle El by means of the clamp which encireles it, and terminates in lugs e5, through which the clamping-bolt E"'0 is passed to draw them together and pinch or contract the sleeve E20 within said clamp, to cause it to bind firmly upon t-he spindle E".

In order to retain the clamp E5 about the sleeve E20, the latter is preferably provided with the iiange 0.00 at the upper end. By this construction the steering-head is retained between the two ball-bearing joints described, the one at the upper and the other at the lower end of the steering-head, and in order that t-hese bearings may be kept at all times from play longitudinally with respect to the steering rod or spindle, the sleeve E20 may be from time to time adjusted on the spindle by loosening the clamp E5 and tightening it again after the sleeve is adjusted to the desired position.

It may be found desirable in some eases to employ a tubular steering-rod, which will of necessity be of greater diameter than the solid spindle or rod E. Such construction is illustrated in Figs. 2 and S, and when it is adopted the sleeve E20 may have its upper edge made in a spiral form, as illustrated in Eig. 2, thereby constituting a cam which may operate against a stud et, projecting from the rod E, its position when the parts are origi nally assembled being at the lowest point of the spiral cam of the sleeve E20 when the ballbearings are adjusted properly and without undue play. \Vhen this construction is adopted, the cla-mp will be fastened to the sleeve E20, preferably at a point opposite the lugs E5, as by means of the screw @50, and when it is desired to adjust the ballbearings to take up any lost motion, the clamping-bolt E50 being loosened, the clamp carrying with it the sleeve E2" will be pushed round on the rod E4, the spiral cam edge operating against the stud e0, with a tendency to crowd the sleeve E20 downward on the steering-rod until all lost motion is taken up.

In order to permit the sleeve E20 to be contracted, as described, by the clamp E sufficiently to bind upon the steering-rod E4, it is necessary either to make the sleeve quite thin at the part where it is encircled bythe clamp, so that it will readily yield to the pressure of the latter, or to split it, as illustrated in Fig. 8.

The adjustment herein provided for opposite ball-bearings is not limited in its application to the steering-head, but may be made use of in many similar situations, the steering-rod being in effect an axle, and I do not limit myself to t-he use of this device on a steering-head alone.

The seat is designed to be secured upon the horizontal arm ll of the angular bracket ll, the Vertical arm being adj ustably secured in the bracket 112. rlhe last-mentioned bracket is supported upon the two ends K K2 of the similar springs K K. Said springs are both secured to the expanded portion G of the rod G, which is inserted in the upper end of the framearm I), and secured adjustably at any desired height in said arm by the clamp G', which encircles the end of the arm D and serves to contract the same about the rod G. 'l he springs K K consist each of two spiral coils k and k2 and the straight portion 7c, extending from coil to coil, and the ends K K2, running from the coils k c2, respectively. Said ends K and K2 are parallel to each other, and parallel also to the corresponding ends of the other spring. The ends K of the two springs are connected by a shaft K", and the ends K2 by a similar shaft K0, and upon said shafts K4 and K5 the bracket II is hung. The straight portion k3 between the coils aifords the means of securing the springs to the flat portion G of the rod G, as stated,and this may be done in any convenient manner, as by the bolts K and K5, as illustrated. The ends K and K2 act as parallel links to guide the seat and keep the vertical arm of the bracket Il. in all positions substantially parallel to the rod G. The four ends of the two springs cach project from one of the coils with a downward inclination, whereby the movement of the seat when jarred by the wheel encountering an obstruction is backward and downward, as is desirable. A. spring L is provided, located, preferably, near the pivot of the drivingwhecl fork to the seat-supporting frame, and reacting between said two parts to uphold the latter yieldingly. rlhe form and action of this spring are familiar, and need not be further described. The brake M is sustained by a spring-arm M which is secured to the steering-wheel fork on both sides of the vertical plane of the IOC steering-wheel, both ends of the arm being thus made fast, the brake being attached to the intermediate portion, which normally holds it off the wheel and yields to allow it to contact the wheel, the spring-arm being the only support or connection necessary.

l. In a velocipede, a rigid frame interme diate the driving-wheel fork and thev steering wheel fork, and made of tubular parts successively joined together, each joint heilig made by diverging lugs on the end of one of the joined parts clasping the other part, said end abutting against the side of thc clasped part, substantially as set forth.

In a yeloeipede, in combination with the rear driving-wheel fork or frame, a frame pivoted thereto and comprising the steering head anda scat-supporting arm, said steering head and said arm being connected together by a crossarm joined to thelowerend of cach, each of said j unctionsbeing made by diverg ing' lugs on the end of one of the joined parts clasping the other part, said end abutting against the side of the clasped part, substantially as set forth.

3. In avelocipede, in combination with the fork, the upwardly-concave fitting E, terminating the fork at the upper end, the steern IIO ing-head terminating at` the lower end in a fitting E2, having the flange e2, adapted to it outside the upper edge of the fitting E and having a central boss adapted to enter the concavity of E', said boss having a ball-bear ing groove on its under face, and the balls located in the concavity of the fitting E and in said groove, and the steering-rod rigid with the fork and extending through the head, and a suitable stop-bearing for the upper end of the head, secured to the rod above the latter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination with an axle and the part which revolves thereon,'a sleeve on the axle constituting the bearing at one end for the revolving part and longitudinally extended beyond the portion which constitutes such bearing, and a clamp embracing such longitudinal extension, whereby the latter may be contracted about the axle to bind the sleeve thereon, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with an axle and the part which revolves thereon, a sleeve located on the axle and serving as the bearing of the revolving part and longitudinally extended beyond the part which constitutes such bearing, and having the end or edge of such longitudinally-extended part oblique, and a stud projecting from the axle in contact with such oblique end, whereby the rotation of the sleeve on the axle tends to adjust it longitudinally thereon, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with an axle, a sleeve thereon which has the bearing for the part which revolves upon the axle, said axle having a stop which abuts against the end of the sleeve, one of said abutting parts having an oblique edge, whereby the rotation of the sleeve causes it to be adj ustedlongitudinally thereon, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination' with an axle, a sleeve located thereon, constituting an adjustable bearing and extended longitudinally on the axle beyond the part which serves as a bearing, a clamp encircling such extended part, whereby it may be contracted to bind the sleeve onto the axle, a stop fixed on the axle and abutting against the end of the sleeve, one of said abutting parts having an oblique edge,whereby the rotation of the sleeve causes it to be adjusted longitudinally, a clamp being secured at one point to the box, whereby it serves both to adjust and to secure the sleeve in adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

S. In a velocipede, in combination with the wheel, a spring-arm rigidly secured to the fork on both sides of the vertical plane of the wheel, and the brake-shoe attached to the spring-arm intermediate the points at which it is thus secured and overhanging the wheel, substantially as set forth. j

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago, this 12th day of October, A. D. 18%.

THOS. I3. JEFFERY.

lVitn esses:

N. G. IIARRrs, WM. A. DRYDEN, Jr. 

